In purpose of the present invention, definition of ‘natural drugs’ is a pharmacological agent which gives therapeutic and curative effects from natural substances. Definition of ‘pharmaceutical drugs’ is a pharmacological agent which gives therapeutic and curative effects from synthetic chemical substances.
Progress and development of herb-based natural drugs are rapid thus many natural drugs are now used as alternative therapy to fight against various diseases. Millions of people in this world prefer to choose natural drugs which are derived from extract of plant and/or animal parts for many reasons, such as to reduce side effects from pharmaceutical drugs, or to get less price than pharmaceutical drugs.
According to Perkeni Center (Indonesian Endocrinology Association), Indonesia was ranked as the sixth largest diabetes population in the world after India, China, Russia, Japan, and Brazil. WHO records more than 180 millions people suffer from diabetes and this number is estimated will be doubled by 2030. In 2005, it had been recorded 1.1 millions people died because of diabetes. Diabetes Mellitus, or commonly known as sweet urine, is a disease that is characterized by excessive increase of blood glucose because the glucose can not be transported into tissues thus it is released in urine. Glucose taken in the body will be converted into energy and some of them are stored in the forms of glycogen in fat and muscle tissues. The conversion process is performed by the support of insulin secreted by pancreatic gland. Insulin regulates the balance of glucose level in the body. If the glucose level in blood is high, then there will be a biochemical change from carbohydrate into energy or glycogen storage. In diabetic patients, there is a problem in the balance regulation system of blood glucose levels.
Ninety percent diabetic are of type 2 diabetes, mainly because of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a condition where an insulin sensitivity decreases. Insulin sensitivity is an ability of insulin to decrease blood glucose level by suppressing hepatic glucose production and stimulating glucose usage in the muscle and adipose tissues. Cause of this insulin resistance is usually connected to the lifestyle factor such as obesity. Therefore, this type 2 diabetes treatment is expected to decrease blood sugar level and insulin resistance.
Some treatments to overcome type 2 diabetes that have been previously given were giving synthetic chemical substances such as sulphonylureas and meglinitinides (stimulating pancreas to produce more insulin), biguanides (decreasing glucose substance level produced by the liver), alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (decreasing glucose absorption from carbohydrate we eat), and thiazolidinediones (reducing insulin resistance). Among the synthetic chemical treatment toward insulin resistance, the thiazolidinedione (TZD) group, such as pioglitazone dan rosiglitazone, is the most-used insulin sensitizer. Some minerals such as chromium and vanadium have also been proposed to enhance insulin sensitivity, though they are not too potent. TZDs are substrate for PPAR-γ factor transcription thus PPAR-γ gene expression increases as the dose of TZDs given increases. However, the use of this TZD group may cause undesired adverse effects such as SGOT/SGPT level elevation (Idiosyncratic acute hepatotoxicity) and edema in patients.
Lagerstroemia speciosa plant from Lythraceae family has been known and used as antidiabetic drugs. Leaves of Lagerstroemia speciosa plant are known with the name ‘bungur’ in Indonesia and ‘banaba’ in Philippine. Japan patent No. 07-228539 taught that a fraction from Lagerstroemia speciosa extract could be used as active ingredient in antidiabetic agent. It also has a hypoglycemic activity. Beside that, water or alcohol extract from Lagerstroemia speciosa leaves and corosolic acid concentration as much as 0.01-15 mg per 100 mg concentrate are primary components in inhibiting the increase, or reducing, blood sugar levels, these are taught in US patent 2001/0006941 A1.
Cinnamomum burmannii plant from Lauraceae family is commonly known as cinnamon. This plant is used as food scent in making of bread dough. Some articles mention that this plant is also used as traditional drugs to overcome gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, vomiting, and gastroenteritis. One article mentioned that this plant could also be used as cough and flu drug, and also to treat arthritis and rheumatic.
Cinnamon (in Indonesia, Cinnamomum burmannii), is also believed to have a potential in either preventing or treating diabetes. Cinnamon also has a positive effect in glycemia and fat profile regulation in type 2 diabetes mellitus (WO/2008/059310, WO/2008/041049).
In the present invention, we will describe the use of Cinnamomum burmannii and Lagerstroemia speciosa extract combination as an optimal natural drug to reduce insulin resistance and also reduce blood sugar level in syndrome X, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, or diabetes patients, mainly type 2 diabetes.